5. A fifth are made in a circular form, as the celebrat ed pagoda of Juggernaut, which Hamilton compares to an immense butt, set on end. Juggernaut, only another name for the god Mahadeo, who is represented by the vast bull which juts out of the eastern aspect of the building. It is the seat of the arch-Bramin of all India, and its sacred domains are said to afford pasturage for 20,000 cows.
Besides these general terms, if our limits permitted us to trace those interesting structures through the va rious districts of this extensive country, many different arrangements might be described ; but, for the present, we must be satisfied with mentioning the pagoda of Be zoara, (or Buswara of Major Rennel) now a fort upon the Kistna river ; it was not inclosed with walls, but erected upon 52 lofty columns, with statues of Indian deities standing between the columns. It was, situated in the midst of an oblong court, round which there was a gal lery raised on 66 pillars like a cloister. (Voy. des Ind. torn. iii. p. 226\Rouen Ed. 1713.) Near this, on a hill ascended by 193 steps, was another pagoda of a quad rangular form, terminated by a cupola.
These temples were generally erected on the banks of the Ganges, Kistna, and other sacred rivers for ablution, Where there was no rii yr, a tusk or teservoir of a qua drangular form was constructed and lined with free-stone or marble, with steps descending into them. Crawford obsem ed many 3)0 or 400 feet in breadth. (Crawford's Sketches, vol. i. p. 106.) At the entrance of the princi pal pagodas, there is a portico supported by rows of lofty columns, and ascended, as in the case of Tripetty, by more than 100 steps ; sunder these porticos, and in the courts which generally inclose the buildings, multi tudes attend at the rising oT the sun, and having bathed and left their sandals at the border of the tank, impatient ly await the unfolding of the gates by the ministring Bra min. Thevenot.
We must reserve, until we come to treat of the Prac tice of Architecture, many particulars relative to those splendid edifices, which, with the plates accompanying them, will afford a more distinct view of the nature of their arrangements and appropriations; but it will be proper in this place to notice some leading circumstances respecting the Indian sculptures, with a view to ascer tain what affinity they had to those in Egypt.
From the Aycen Akbcry, and Captain Wilson's paper on Caucasus, we find, that in the Soubah of Cashmere, between Balkh and Cabul, in the numerous excavations, there are 700 places where the figure of a serpent is carved ; and that near these excavations, there are sculp tured in rock, on the side of the mountain, figures of 13, 50, and 80 ells high ; that in the great temple of the Sun, which. was near Juggernaut, and said, by the Aycen
Akbery, to have consumed, in the expellee of building, the whole revenue of the Orissa for twelve years ; that in front of the gate, there was a pillar of black stone, of an octagon form, 50 cubits high ; that at the eastern gate, the' e were two elephants, each with a man on his trunk ; at the western gate were figures of horsemen, completely armed ; and at the northern gate two tygers, who had killed two elephants, and were sitting upon them. That in one extensive apartment, there is a large dome constructed of stone, upon which is carved the sun and stars, and round them a border of human figures. In the pagoda at Juggernaut, Hamilton describes the idol a huge black stone, of a pyramidal form ; and there was a bull, representing the god Mahadco, jutting from the wall of the eastern aspect. Tavernier observed a conspicuous idol of black stone in the temple of Benares; and that the statue of Creeslina, in his celebrated tem ple of Mathura, was of black marble. in the great Pagoda at Elcphanta, the bust of the triple headed deity measures 15 feet from the base to the top of the cap, the face is five feet long, and it is 20 feet across the shoul ders. Along the sides of the cavern are colossal statues, to the number of •0 or 50, front 12 to 15 feet high ; some have a sort of helmet of a pyramidal form ; others a crown with devices ; others display bushy ringlets, some with curled, and others with flowing hair ; many have four hands, some six ; with sceptres, shields, wea pons of war, and symbols of peace. At the west end of the Pagoda, there is a great dark recess, 20 feet square, totally destitute of ornaments, except the altar in the centre, and the gigantic figures which guard the several doors which lead into it. Niebuhr says, these figures are eight in number; they are naked, and 133. feet high; their heads, decorated like the other statues, have rich collars round their necks, and jewels of great size in their ears. In the before mentioned recess, the Lingam divinity is represented. The Pagoda at Salsette exceeds that at Elephanta ; the two colossal statues immediately before the entrance of the grand temple are 27 feet high; they have caps and ear-rings. There are here two hun dred figures of idols ; 90 of which are in and about the great pagoda. In the interior spaces which recede front the apartments, the Lingam is represented. Many of the sculptures in these grand temples have reference to the astronomical, as well as mythological notions prevalen: in India.